how common is it to go shopping together??

[jane_e]

So my boyfriend and I have been ring shopping together a handful of times so far, and I''m kinda curious, how normal is that? I am pretty picky I guess, and my boyfriend doesn''t seem to care much as long as it''s within budget and he doesn''t think it''s hideous, so he''s pretty much given me the lead on this. We went to one store that we had to drive an hour to get to, and I was even the one to call in advance to check to make sure they had the setting I wanted to see. I know I want something that I love, and I wouldn''t be happy if he surprised me with something that wasn''t what I had in mind. But I can''t help wondering if the jewelers are thinking "crazy pushy girlfirend..." after I leave the store. Or has this really become more the norm??

I know he''ll go by himself when it comes to actually placing an order and picking it up when it is complete, so I''ll have no idea when he has it, and the whole proposal itself (when he does it, what he plans, what he says, etc) will all be a total surprise, so I don''t really feel like I''m being too pushy just wanting to pick out the ring!

 

[lucyandroger]

I think it''s very common. Everytime SO and I go into a jewelry store, there are other couples there looking for rings as well.

 

[vc10um]

Date: 12/7/2009 6:57:08 PM
Author: lucyandroger
I think it''s very common. Everytime SO and I go into a jewelry store, there are other couples there looking for rings as well.

Seconded. I think it''s very common these days! Marriage is becoming a mutual decision, not just suddenly something the guy decides he wants, and the same goes for the ring--men want their lady''s input so they get her something she''ll love and be proud of!

 

[epicure]

My boyfriend and I went ring shopping together.
When we were at the stores, the SAs there assumed we were already engaged.

I see couples looking at rings together all the time and the women SAs always applaud my bf for bringing me along so he knows exactly what I want.

 

[LilyKat]

Very common, I see it all the time - it definitely seems to be the norm now. In fact I rarely see a man browsing by himself, and the rare times I do the poor guy always looks so shifty and uncomfortable, as though he''s been caught in a store that doesn''t just sell jewellery if you get my drift...

 

[AustenNut]

LOL, Lilykat!

Anyway, I think it''s very common to go shopping together. My boyfriend works so many hours that I actually end up going to the jewelery store more by myself to try on settings, etc, and then give him all the info afterwards (including the SA''s name and how their service was).

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 12/7/2009 6:57:08 PM
Author: lucyandroger
I think it''s very common. Everytime SO and I go into a jewelry store, there are other couples there looking for rings as well.

The same for us.

Before this thread, I didn''t really stop to think whether it may seem weird to others that we would be looking at rings together .. we''ve never had anybody make any comments or anything. It''s such a big and lasting purchse, it should involve both people, IMO!

 

[jewelz617]

I don''t go jewelry shopping with my husband, he has no interest in it and I know exactly what I want without his input. Plus I do most of my shopping online.

 

[elrohwen]

I think it's very common! DH realized that buying a ring was a big deal and he didn't feel comfortable that he could pick out something I would love, so we did it together. Nothing wrong with that! Personally, I feel bad for the guys who feel all the pressure to pick a ring out on their own, but don't feel capable of getting something their SO will like. I'm all for guys with good taste in jewelry, but we know that many of them don't have that skill

ETA: I actually went so far as to design my own ring. It's a mutual decision to marry and I think it's great that you get to mutually pick out the symbols of that marriage.

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

Date: 12/8/2009 3:30:19 AM
Author: LilyKat
Very common, I see it all the time - it definitely seems to be the norm now. In fact I rarely see a man browsing by himself, and the rare times I do the poor guy always looks so shifty and uncomfortable, as though he''s been caught in a store that doesn''t just sell jewellery if you get my drift...

that shifty uncomfortable guy... my bf!

when we first talked about getting engaged, bf thought he''d HAVE to do it alone because that''s how you see it in movies, etc. but i was absolutely against it and he seemed pretty relieved. with such a huge purchase for someone else, it makes sense to make sure what he gets is exactly what she''d like and what would make her happy. it is after all something she will be wearing for the rest of her life. we''ve been doing everything together each step of the way and i know the proposal will be a surprise as we have no timeline and i don''t know when he plans on doing it. he jokes that he will hold onto the ring until next summer. i told him he better be joking.

so yes, completely normal at the least! once you think about everything behind the ring, it just makes sense that the girl be involved.

 

[monkeyprincess]

I went to look at rings with my boyfriend too. I had always had a romantic notion that I would be surprised with a ring, but he made it very clear he wanted my help and didn''t feel comfortable picking something out without knowing my taste. We compromised. I went and looked at rings with him, and he took over from there and had something made based on my preferences. This way, he knew what I was looking for, but I won''t know exactly what ring he picked out until he proposes.

As everyone else is saying, I saw many couples looking together, and think it is pretty common these days.

 

[Pushin40]

We bougth my ring together. I pretty much ran the show - FI told me I had exquisite taste so just look at what I want to look at. We bought my ring spur of the moment so we only went to one store - looked on a Thursday, then went back the next day and bought it. VERY stress free.

We wouldn''t have done it any other way, plus I''m a bit more educated about diamonds in general. He wanted me to LOVE the ring and we both do!

I thought it was a blast!

 

[Smurfysmiles]

We went in just to look the one day we went in together and I tried on a ring, and he must have been able to tell how much I loved it because he went back the next day and bought it!

 

[sunnyd]

DH paid for it, that''s about it.

I did the searching, contacting and designing. He approved the final CADs. I absolutely adore my ring and he''s happy that I have exactly what I want, because he never would have been able to guess.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

we shopped together, picked out the setting, I advised him on 3 stones (differences, pros/cons, etc) and he chose the stone on his own.